How fermented foods became a symbol of control, creativity, and cultural revival

If you’ve spent any time on TikTok, Instagram, or even in your neighborhood co-op recently, chances are you’ve seen it: the rise of all things pickled. Cucumbers? Sure. But also lemons, eggs, watermelon rinds, pinecones. What used to be a grandma’s quiet kitchen ritual is now a global aesthetic, a hobby, and in some cases—a bold act of identity.

So why now? Why has pickling exploded from pantry tradition to digital obsession?

🌍 The Pandemic Gave Us the Pickle Bug

Much like sourdough, pickling took off during COVID-19 lockdowns. The world slowed down. People were stuck at home with more time than ever—and more anxiety than usual. “Fermentation became therapy,” says food anthropologist Dr. Liat Mizrahi. “It’s a slow, tangible process that gives you a sense of agency in a world you can’t control.”

Pickling, at its core, is transformation: raw into preserved, vulnerable into stable. It’s no wonder it resonated so deeply in a moment of global upheaval.

🧂 A Taste of Tradition in a Globalized World

In Israel, one company has been quietly doing this long before the internet caught on. Pri-Chen, a family-owned food producer, has been preserving vegetables since 1975, combining Arab pickling traditions with modern production.

At their facility in southern Israel, cauliflower is soaked in turmeric brine, cucumbers are pickled crisp in garlic and vinegar, and olives ferment slowly with lemon slices and wild herbs—just like they do in villages across the Middle East.

“We don’t invent flavors—we protect them,” says Alla, a second-generation manager at Pri-Chen. “Our job is to make sure these tastes live on in the next generation.”

Today, Pri-Chen exports to more than 20 countries, offering a rare bridge between old-world foodways and new-world curiosity.

📱 From Grandma’s Pantry to the Algorithm

The digital age has turned pickling into performance. On TikTok, creators layer vibrant vegetables into glass jars set to lo-fi beats. Fermentation time-lapses get millions of views. Pickled aesthetics—bright, sour, and slightly rebellious—have become part of a broader cultural trend: the hunger for something real in a hyper-manufactured world.

🍋 The Sour Rebellion

Pickling is also a quiet kind of rebellion. In an age of fast food, climate anxiety, and industrial agriculture, it’s a way to reconnect—with time, with culture, with hands-on food.

“Pickles are punk,” one influencer declared. And maybe they are.

Because every jar of preserved lemon, every olive soaking in brine, is a story: of where we came from, and what we’re trying to hold onto.

Recipe: Pickled Black Radish with Ginger, Sesame & Soy – A Bold Asian Twist

Black radish (also known as dark daikon) has a bold, peppery flavor and firm texture that holds up beautifully during pickling. It’s unexpected, assertive, and brings a grown-up edge to your pickle game.

🧂 Ingredients:

  • 1 large black radish (or 2 small), washed and thinly sliced (no need to peel)

  • 1 tbsp coarse salt

  • ½ cup rice vinegar

  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce

  • 1 tbsp mirin (or brown sugar)

  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

  • A 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, thinly sliced

  • 1 garlic clove, sliced

  • 1 tsp sesame seeds

  • 1 small dried chili (optional)

🥣 Instructions:

  1. Salt and Pre-cure:
    Place the sliced radish in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, and toss. Let sit for 30–45 minutes. The radish will release liquid—gently squeeze out the excess and discard the liquid.

  2. Prepare the Brine:
    Mix the rice vinegar, soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and chili (if using).

  3. Pickling:
    Pack the salted radish into a clean glass jar. Pour the brine over the radish to cover completely.

  4. Wait & Enjoy:
    Refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Flavors deepen beautifully after 2–3 days.

💡 Tips:

  • Add rainbow carrots for color and contrast.

  • Perfect alongside bao buns, homemade sushi, or with aged cheeses.